In the Tradition of Valentine's Day
by peroxidepest17
Summary: Rukia succumbs to the tradition of Valentine’s chocolate. Sort of.


**Title:** In the Tradition of Valentine's Day  
**Author:** Celeste  
**Feedback:** (yes!)**  
Universe:** Bleach  
**Pairing:** Barely there Ichigo/Rukia  
**Rating:** G  
**Word Count:** 777  
**Time:** 18 mins, no edits  
**Spoilers:** Not really.  
**Summary:** Rukia succumbs to the tradition of Valentine's chocolate. Sort of. **Dedication:** Has to be JaB, because even though I didn't talk to her tonight, only she can induce me to write Bleach fic. O.o  
**A/N:** I am so lame, I swear. -;;  
**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Otherwise I wouldn't have such a hard time trying to get the merchandise, dammit!  
**Distribution:** Just lemme know.

* * *

"Here."

Ichigo blinked and looked down at the bright red box Rukia was currently shaking at him.

"What the hell is that?" he asked instinctively, brow furrowed with mild apprehension.

She gave him that special look of hers, the one she reserved for him and only him that popped up whenever she thought he'd asked a question that was more-stupid-than-his-usual-stupid. "It's candy, obviously."

"Oh… that's nice…" he replied with some semblance of civility, though it was quickly followed by a, "So…what the hell do you expect me to do with it?"

She sighed. "Girls are supposed to give the males in their lives chocolate for Valentine's Day," she explained very slowly, undoubtedly for his benefit.

He crossed his arms belligerently at her tone. "Valentine's Day was yesterday, you idiot."

Unperturbed by the fact, she continued to look derisively at him, not backing down from his impressive height and the fact that he completely cast her in his shadow. "I know it was yesterday. Everyone was ridiculously pink yesterday. It was garish and distasteful and I would hope even you had the faculties to notice." She shook the box of chocolates in her hand like one would hold out a bribe to a particularly dumb dog. "In the spirit of human tradition, here is chocolate for Valentine's Day from me to you."

He eyed it warily, but still did not take it. "You did hear me when I said _Valentine's Day was yesterday_, right?"

She was tempted to kick him in the shin, but decided to take the high road since essentially, he'd been the one to scrape together a few weeks' of his allowance for her in order to let her indulge in the cherished human tradition that Inoue had been going on and on and on about for weeks beforehand. "I know it was yesterday, Ichigo. But I was informed that if I waited an extra day, the prices would drop to 50 percent of what they were the day before." She looked quite happy with herself. "Unlike many of your peers, I bought the same thing but managed to cut the cost of my chocolate buying in _half_."

He blinked several times at her obvious pride in having accomplished such an ingenious feat of bargain hunting. "I'm so happy for you," he deadpanned, wondering if she was going to stop talking any time soon.

"You obviously cannot appreciate the fact that I tried to save you some money."

He snorted derisively. "You could have saved me some money by not buying me any chocolate at all. You think I gave you all of the candy I got yesterday cuz I'm particularly fond of you or something? _I don't like the stuff_ you idiot."

Undeterred, she continued to hold out the box, an expectant look in her eye.

He suddenly got it.

This was Rukia, after all.

Sighing at himself for not having figured it out sooner, he reluctantly snatched box from her hand. "Thanks," he mumbled dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, you're very welcome!" She responded in that voice of hers that drove him insane because it was so damn cute and so _not her_.

"Happy now?"

"Not yet."

Shaking his head, he turned around and tossed the box back at her over his shoulder. "Eat it then, stupid. Che, I should've known."

She caught it with a smile. "Why Kurosaki-kun, you don't like chocolate? It would be a shame to let something I spent so much time picking out go to waste! I suppose I'll just have to eat it for you!" she chirruped before ripping the large chocolate heart out of the wrapper like she hadn't eaten five to ten servings of the garbage the day before.

"Happy _now_?" he questioned curtly as they headed off the school grounds and in the direction of his home.

She ignored his cantankerous tone, too happily ensconced in caramel and hazelnut and white chocolate to take the time and indulge his bad attitude problem. "So…" she started conversationally, "Inoue informed me that after I've given you chocolate, in a month, you have to give _me_ some in return."

He stopped walking.

She paused momentarily in her nibbling at his abrupt halt. "Ichigo?"

He looked at her, studying her for a moment.

And then looked up at the sky.

And then back to her.

And then down at the ground, face contorted in a thoughtful frown.

After a moment, he met her eyes again, smiling like he'd had some sort of eerie epiphany. "I think I finally get it."

She blinked. "Get what?"

"Why Ishida won't date girls."

She threw her empty chocolate box at his head.

**END **


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